


Tell Me Why

by Resacon1990



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, Bilbo-centric, Confusion, Kind Bilbo, Light Angst, Lots of confusion, M/M, Suspicious Thorin, Thorin POV, Thorin tries to understand Bilbo's reasoning for coming on the quest, beginning of thorin's feelings for bilbo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 20:36:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3742738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Resacon1990/pseuds/Resacon1990
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gandalf had told him to let it rest, but Thorin wouldn't. The hobbit must be getting something out of this quest that he hasn't clued into yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell Me Why

**Author's Note:**

> Fic based on [this post](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/116370399983/thearkenstoneandtheacorn-this-is-possibly-my), the idea from [thearkenstoneandtheacorn](http://thearkenstoneandtheacorn.tumblr.com/).
> 
> It's a beautiful idea, and I love it.

Thorin spends the first few days of the journey staring at the hobbit with a furrowed brow as he tries to understand his motivation. The hobbit isn't the type to just spontaneously decide to go on an adventure that will take him all the way across the other side of Middle-Earth, nor is he the type to be silent about the kind of conditions they are roughing it in. So far, the hobbit hasn't spoken out once about curling up on hard dirt grounds, nor the slop they're calling food. Not even the constant snoring of their companions, although Thorin has seen the looks he's given a few of them as he wriggles about to get comfortable. He hasn't even protested about Myrtle, the least liked amongst the ponies. Thorin had almost told his nephews off for placing the hobbit on her, considering his inexperience and her attitude, but he'd held his tongue after the handkerchief incident.

Gandalf had told him to let it rest, but Thorin wouldn't. The hobbit must be getting something out of this quest that he hasn't clued into yet.

The obvious answer is gold. It's the bargaining tool they'd attempted to use to recruit him in the first place, but Thorin had looked around the hobbit's home when they'd spent their night there and he much doubted that the hobbit needed coin. His home was luxurious, large pillowed chairs and couches that the elder dwarfs in his Company had pulled rank on the younger ones to occupy. But even then the ground had been comfortable, the bathroom was _clean_ , the hallways lit by rich glows, the kitchen filled with shining silver utensils. After years of dirt floors and wooden walls, Thorin hadn't been use to it and his skin had crawled in his uncomfortableness.

But it clearly wasn't gold the hobbit sought, and Thorin had struck that thought from mind and searched for others.

Another idea was that maybe the hobbit was after status. If he helped reclaim their kingdom Thorin would owe him a debt, a debt that could be repaid in promising one of his nephews to the hobbit. His hackles had risen at that thought, and he doesn't deny that he was harsher to the hobbit the day he'd thought that. But he'd watched the way the hobbit interacted with his nephews, and he'd only seen fondness and slight irritation in the hobbit's eyes when Fili or Kili would approach him. Just like the rest of the Company, and Thorin had eventually struck that idea from mind as well.

It wasn't honour, it wasn't glory, or the chance to prove himself in battle. The hobbit didn't own a sword, and when Dwalin had thrust an axe the hobbit's way he'd held it in such an improper manner that Thorin had almost taken it from him to stop him from hurting himself. His distaste for the weapon had been obvious as well, and Thorin was assured that the hobbit was not after anything to do with battle.

But there was not much else he could think of. Maybe having a king in his debt enticed the hobbit? But then again, the hobbit had not spoken directly to him once and avoided him mostly. Thorin had overheard his name in conversation, but unlike half of the Company, the hobbit appeared to address him only by his given name and with no title. Maybe he did not even realise that Thorin was a king, it would not surprise him. Gandalf had failed to mention the fourteenth member of the Company was to be a hobbit; it's likely he didn't tell the hobbit he'd be part of a _king's_ Company on this journey.

He's frustrated at not being able to figure out the hobbit's motives, and he takes his anger out on the hobbit constantly. He orders him around, comments loudly about his uselessness, insults him directly, and he secretly hopes that the hobbit will take the hint and just _leave_.

His mother always did tell him people are harshest to the things they don't understand.

When they're on the cliff top though, and the Company is sleeping except his nephews on watch and Thorin himself, he gets a bit more insight into the hobbit. He should be sleeping too, but sleep no longer comes to Thorin easily, and instead he sits against the rock wall near the fire and lazily watches the moths be sucked in and out of Bombur's mouth. The noises of the sleeping Company no longer irritate him, neither does the scratching of Kili's knife on a small block of wood or Fili's rough humming. They all meld together and create soothing noises to him actually, and his eyes are half closed when the hobbit's head is suddenly up and ruining his view of Bombur's moths.

The looks he sees the hobbit give Bombur makes his lips twitch in a tight smile, and he changes his attention from Bombur to the hobbit as the hobbit groans and struggles to his feet. He watches in curiosity as the hobbit picks his way through the sleeping Company towards the ponies, and Thorin wonders what he's going to do.

He's heading towards Myrtle, and Thorin's grows suspicious when the hobbit keeps glancing back to make sure he's not being watched. The worst thoughts come to mind of course, and Thorin swears if the hobbit raises a hand to Myrtle then he will _lose_ said hand. It's not the horse's fault that the hobbit is an incompetent rider, nor that her attitude towards having someone on her back is terrible. Thorin wouldn't like to have someone on his back either.

So he's almost _pleasantly_ shocked when the hobbit pulls an apple out of his pocket and feeds it to Myrtle while stroking the part of her mane that falls over her forehead. There's a smile on the hobbit's face, and Thorin starts to frown as he really begins to wonder just who the hell this hobbit is?

His thoughts are interrupted by a loud screech, followed by his nephews being _cruel_ in their joke on the hobbit. He knows he's a hypocrite, but his nephews really do know nothing of the world. They're the boys that blame the horses, that blame other people, that think jokes laced with realistic possibilities are funny… and he can't encourage that behaviour. The look on the hobbit's face when he scolds them is enough to know that he is not the only one thinking the same thoughts, but the hobbit just meets his eyes and says nothing about Thorin's _own_ behaviour.

Of course the hobbit still asks Balin questions and Balin answers with a retelling of Battle of Azanulbizar. Thorin blocks out most of it. He can still remember the stench of the battlefield, the feeling of Frerin's blood under his hands as his brother had begged Thorin to help him live, the sight of his grandfathers head rolling down the hill, his father's back as he'd disappeared into the horde and never returned, Azog's roar as Thorin had sliced his arm from his body… Thorin can still feel a phantom pain in his throat from where it had ached for days after his screams had tore it.

He rubs it as if that'll help before he slowly turns to face his Company. They're all staring at him, even the hobbit, and Thorin's eyes linger on him for a moment before he hears the hobbit's question. Hate fills him at the thought of Azog, and he answers the hobbit's question with anger as he storms through the group and then away from them. He only travels around the outcrop a bit more, just out of their sight, but it's enough for him to catch his breath and close his eyes without them seeing.

"You know, my mother always taught me that sometimes talking about your feelings and doubts would make some of your anger ebb away," the hobbit's quiet voice says from behind him, and Thorin feels his shoulders tense.

"Did she also teach you that prying into another's business is considered _rude_ and _improper_ ," he snarks back, and he turns to glare at the hobbit. He doesn't feel bad at seeing the hobbit recoil, but he does feel the smallest part of regret at seeing the smile on the hobbit's face drop off.

"I'm sorry," the hobbit murmurs as he starts to back away, "I just thought…"

He doesn't finish his sentence, and Thorin doesn't expect him too. Instead the hobbit begins to turn away and start off back towards the fire and warmth. Suddenly Thorin has the urge to call him back, a desperate feeling that almost makes him choke, and he takes a hesitant step forward as he says the first thing that comes to his head.

"We are short on supplies," he growls, "do not waste them on animals."

The hobbit halts in place and Thorin watches his back stiffen as he glances over his shoulder.

"I'll make sure to remember that in future," the hobbit says softly, and Thorin's fist curls up as he realises that he won't get a rise out of the hobbit. He's too gentle in nature, maybe snarky, but undoubtedly gentle.

"Why did you do it?" Thorin finds himself asking. "Give Myrtle the apple, that is. She's done nothing but been stubborn and caused you pain, and yet you still reward her?"

The hobbit turns to him completely then, and there's a fire inside his eyes that draws Thorin as if he were a moth. He can't stop himself from taking a few hesitant steps forward, but stops when he sees the hobbit cross his arms as if to ward him off.

"Myrtle has done nothing," the hobbit scolds Thorin, "expect be a pony that has landed herself in the use of humans and dwarves. I, myself, would not wish to carry around a hobbit or dwarf on my back for an entire day up and down hills and rocky paths, so how can I blame her for having the same attitude?"

Thorin has no response, he only just stares at the hobbit as he huffs and begins to rethink his entire opinion on the hobbit.

"I gave her the apple because I _could_. Take it off a day of my rations if you will, but I wished to do something nice for my pony because I could."

"But-"

"There doesn't have to be a reason for someone to do a nice thing, Thorin Oakenshield." 

Thorin finds himself once more speechless at the hobbit's declaration, and the way he says it, so soft and clear, makes Thorin wonder if maybe the hobbit is a mind reader. The hobbit doesn't say anything either, just watches him with a steady gaze before he offers him a small smile.

"I must bid you goodnight now, Thorin," the hobbit says quietly, "for we do have a long day tomorrow and no doubt Myrtle won't be particularly thrilled at the rest of the climb we have tomorrow morning. Perhaps you would consider us taking it by foot and save the ponies until we reach the bottom of this blasted hill?"

It's a good suggestion, one that Thorin most likely will agree to in the morning, but he doesn't say anything in response as the hobbit smiles at him once more.

"Goodnight, Thorin," he bids,and he obviously is not expecting anything in return as he starts to walk away. Thorin considers his back for a few more moments, thinking about how different this hobbit… _Master Baggins_ is to how he thought, before he sighs quietly enough for only his ears.

"Goodnight, Master Baggins," he calls out, and Master Baggins pauses a moment before he turns his head to smile briefly through his surprise at Thorin. He disappears around the bend shortly after, and Thorin is left standing still wondering just what to do with himself.

He tries to think that maybe Master Baggins meant what he said, that there doesn't have to be a reason to do a nice thing, but it's such a foreign concept to him. He understands what Master Baggins means, he himself has done many a nice thing just because he _could_ , and seeing the joy on other's faces makes him feel his own joy. But for someone to do that to him? Because they could? He's a king, he doesn't have things happen to him without expectations in return… right?

It's hard to think about, and Thorin puts it aside for another day. He hopes that what Master Baggins said was true. He hopes maybe he'll get a real explanation out of him soon, but for now he's happy just standing in the cool breeze thinking over Master Baggins' words and watching the stars glitter.

And if in the morning he instructs the Company to walk the rest of the mountain for the sake of the ponies, then that's for his own reasons. Not because he gets to see Master Baggins smile softly at him from where he stands next to Myrtle.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been struggling with inspiration for all of my writing lately, but when I saw this post I absolutely had to write it. It's such a beautiful idea, and I love writing Bilbo undermining Thorin's suspiciousness.
> 
> If I would write more of this, it would be the scene where Bilbo explains to Thorin why he came back after the goblin caves. There's a link to another post about that scene in the post for this one, and I love that just as much.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it, thank you for reading :)


End file.
